John Barnett, a former Boeing quality control manager who bravely spoke out about the aerospace giant’s production standards, has been found dead in the United States. His death comes at a critical time when Boeing faces intense scrutiny over its safety and manufacturing processes.
Barnett, who dedicated 30 years to Boeing before retiring in 2017, became known for his unwavering commitment to safety and his willingness to challenge the company’s practices. Prior to his death, he was actively involved in a whistleblower lawsuit against Boeing, alleging the company prioritized speed and cost-cutting over passenger safety. Boeing has expressed sadness at the news of his passing. The Charleston County coroner’s office confirmed that the 62-year-old’s death on March 9th was due to a “self-inflicted” wound, with police currently conducting further investigations.
John Barnett, the Boeing whistleblower, pictured during an interview where he raised concerns about Boeing’s production quality.
From 2010, Barnett served as a quality manager at Boeing’s North Charleston facility, the very plant responsible for assembling the 787 Dreamliner, a flagship aircraft favored for long-haul flights. It was during this time that Barnett witnessed practices he believed compromised safety.
In a revealing 2019 interview with the BBC, John Barnett exposed alarming details about the pressures faced by Boeing workers. He stated that employees were intentionally installing substandard parts on aircraft production lines to meet demanding production schedules. He further claimed to have discovered significant issues with the oxygen systems on the 787 Dreamliner, suggesting that as many as one in four oxygen masks might fail in an emergency.
Barnett explained that soon after his arrival at the South Carolina plant, he grew increasingly concerned that the relentless drive to produce new aircraft was leading to a rushed assembly process where safety was being sacrificed. Boeing has consistently denied these allegations.
He further detailed instances where standard procedures for tracking components were disregarded, resulting in defective parts going missing within the factory. In some disturbing cases, Barnett reported that substandard components were even retrieved from scrap bins and fitted to aircraft to avoid production delays.
Regarding the emergency oxygen systems, John Barnett asserted that tests conducted on systems intended for the 787 revealed a staggering 25% failure rate. This meant a potentially catastrophic scenario where one in four masks might not deploy correctly during an actual emergency. Despite bringing these critical concerns to the attention of Boeing management, Barnett claimed that no meaningful action was taken to address the problems.
While Boeing refuted Barnett’s assertions, a 2017 review conducted by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) substantiated some of his claims. The FAA investigation confirmed that the location of at least 53 “non-conforming” parts within the factory remained unknown, classifying them as lost. Consequently, Boeing was mandated to implement corrective measures.
Addressing the oxygen cylinder issue, Boeing acknowledged that in 2017 they had “identified some oxygen bottles received from the supplier that were not deploying properly.” However, the company maintained that none of these faulty oxygen bottles were ever installed on operational aircraft.
Following his retirement, John Barnett initiated a protracted legal battle against Boeing. He accused the company of damaging his reputation and hindering his career in retaliation for raising safety concerns – accusations that Boeing vehemently denied.
At the time of his death, Barnett was in Charleston actively participating in legal depositions related to his ongoing case. Just last week, he provided a formal deposition, facing questioning from Boeing’s legal team and subsequent cross-examination by his own legal counsel. He was scheduled for further questioning on Saturday, but when he failed to appear, inquiries were made at his hotel, leading to the discovery of his body in his truck in the hotel parking area.
Speaking to the BBC, Barnett’s lawyer expressed profound sadness, describing his client’s death as “tragic.” Boeing issued a statement saying, “We are saddened by Mr. Barnett’s passing, and our thoughts are with his family and friends.”
John Barnett’s untimely death occurs against a backdrop of intensifying scrutiny surrounding production standards at both Boeing and its key supplier, Spirit AeroSystems. This heightened attention was triggered by a recent incident in early January, where an emergency exit door detached from a brand-new Boeing 737 Max shortly after takeoff from Portland International Airport.
A preliminary report from the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) suggested a critical oversight – four bolts designed to secure the door were not installed. Adding to Boeing’s woes, the FAA recently announced the findings of a six-week audit, revealing “multiple instances where the company allegedly failed to comply with manufacturing quality control requirements.”
John Barnett’s legacy as a Boeing whistleblower leaves behind critical questions about safety and accountability within the aviation industry. His death serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing need for rigorous oversight and a commitment to prioritizing safety above all else in aircraft manufacturing.
